Summary

Riley Sager ’s newthriller , Middle of the Night , breaks a seven - class , seven - book author vogue that started withFinal girl . Sager is a well - know writer in thriller and horror blank , and his novel grade from more standard mysteries to supernatural narration , with some even blending the two types of narratives . The author has released one book per year sinceFinal Girlsdebuted in 2017 , and his 2024 release is amongJune ’s most - forebode thriller books .

The fact thatMiddle of the Nightis written by Sager mechanically set it on reader ' radars , but there ’s another reason this novel is so exciting . Although Sager ’s stories take issue in terms of themes and setup , they all have one thing in common . However , the author bust this trend for the first clip inMiddle of the Night , defecate it a standout plus to his lineup . The change - up has madeMiddle of the Nightone ofthe most - anticipate thrillers of the entire year — and after blame it up , readers will belike concur that trekking young territory pays off .

While Stephen King was responsible for some of the best revulsion and thrillers ever , he also has many recommendations for other source ' Bible .

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Middle Of The Night’s Male Protagonist Breaks A 7-Book Riley Sager Trend

All of Sager ’s books beforeMiddle of the Nightfeature female main eccentric , and it ’s become a noticeable trend for the source over the past seven years . Many of Sager ’s female leads have similarities , too , with all of them relieve oneself dubitable decisions and put forward questions about their reliability . WhileMiddle of the Nightdoes call the reliability of its male protagonist into interrogation , it still shift Sager ’s distinctive script . By following a mankind discover Ethan — and placing two male characters at the center of its narrative — it set itself apart from the source ’s previous works .

By follow a man named Ethan — and placing two manlike characters at the center of its narration — midway of the Nightsets itself asunder from the author ’s previous oeuvre .

Middle of the Nightfollows Ethan Marsh as he come back to his tight - knit hometown and uncovers the truth about his best friend ’s disappearing 30 years ago . Ethan has a lot of guilt environ the event , as Billy vanishes from a tent in Ethan ’s backyard while they ’re sleeping side by side . Ethan ’s cause to learn what happened to Billy have several authentication of Sager ’s committal to writing , let in his tendency to make the lector question whether things are really open as Ethan say . However , Middle of the Nightalso covers fresh ground , necessitate risks in a way that proves satisfying .

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Riley Sager’s Risks Pay Off In Middle Of The Night

The 2024 Book Stands Out As 1 Of His Best Thrillers

Having a male main character is n’t the only way Sager switch things up inMiddle of the Night , even if it ’s the most surprising growing . While the writer has jumped between preceding and present plot line before , his 2024 novel expend the opportunity to inject more than one POV into the story . Sager order lecturer into the heads of many dissimilar fibre when he returns to the summer of Billy ’s disappearance . The choice to include so many perspectives also keeps readers guessing , and it does a majuscule task of build up toMiddle of the Night ’s finish reveal .

Middle of the Nightis athriller with an close that does n’t disappoint , and the risk Sager takes to get there largely pay off . Sager ’s latest digs deeper into its motif than many of the generator ’s prior releases , hold it as heedful and engaging as it is thrilling . There are touching revelations and emotional moment scattered throughoutMiddle of the Night . These element make Sager ’s latestthrillera bit slower than some of his other whole works . Fortunately , they also cement it as one of his dependable narration .

Bella Ramsey as Ellie in the Last of us Season 2 Pointing a Gun in the basement of a hospital

The cover of Middle of the Night by Riley Sager with his other book covers as the background

Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

The covers of Final Girls, Lock Every Door, and The Only One Left by Riley Sager

Middle of the Night Cover featuring the title in lime green and a small-town street as the background